Good evening, everyone.

Welcome to the Providence City Council Chambers.

For this evening, we'll be celebrating a ceremony honoring our veterans here in our capital city, Providence, Rhode Island.

And maybe not so familiar because he's been retired for quite some time.

What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming, whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight, or the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming.

Almost bursting in air, gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.

Oh, say those that starts bangled by the land of the free and the home of the brave.

See you.

That was a great rendition, as always.

Inspector Luis Terrio.

Once again, good evening.

My name is Juan Pichardo.

I am the uh Providence City Councilman in Ward 9, along with my colleague here in President uh Rachel Miller and my colleagues that we will uh joining us after a session.

At this time, I'd like to uh bring our council president Rachel Miller.

Thank you so much, Prothemian Pichardo, and thank you for starting this tradition um in the Providence City Council of uh recognizing and celebrating the service and contributions of veterans in the city of Providence.

I am, of course, joined by my esteemed colleagues, Councilwoman Vargas, Councilwoman Altia Graves, Majority Leader Espinal, Councilman Sanchez, and I apologize to anyone I might have missed.

I did a good look.

Um, and we're joined here by so many um state leaders as well.

Uh Director Yarn, thank you for joining us tonight.

Um brief thought here on the eve of Veterans Day in 2025.

We very often say, as Veterans Day comes, uh thank you for your service.

And I this year, um, but really every year, recognize that a veteran service does not uh stop with the service and sacrifice uh when they were active.

We have so many people in the state of Rhode Island and the City of Providence who have continued their service every day throughout their careers in public service to the City of Providence, to other veterans, to community members.

Um, and so I think that is worth recognizing and celebrating um every day.

And then uh also in 2025, unfortunately, we have not um as a as a nation figured out how to fix the most appropriate way to say thank you, right?

Which is to make sure that every single veteran and every single resident has what they need to survive and thrive.

And so um here in Rhode Island, we are blessed.

We have uh city and state that are bridging together services to make sure that people aren't left behind to make sure that people have uh both the mental and physical support that they need.

Um, and I know that we have a very strong veterans community that is an active part of that every day.

So I thank you and thank you, Pro Dem.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam President, for those kind words, and uh welcoming everyone here, my colleagues that are joining us uh uh this evening.

Um uh the uh once again, good evening.

Um, everyone, as we gather here in Providence and our capital city, is my great privilege to welcome you all to our annual veteran celebration.

And I say annual because I think I hope as long as I live here, and now that I'm uh alumni, I'm gonna continue to be an alumni of the Province City Council and a veteran in the city of Providence, that we continue this this tradition of never forgetting our veterans and those who serve.

Uh the theme continues to be a legacy of loyalty and service.

Those who of us who serve in the military will always be uh of service.

And uh along with our family, we know that uh grandmothers, spouses, children serve at the same time.

This year holds a special significance.

Not only do we honor the sacrifices made by our veterans across all generations, but we also look ahead to a monumental milestone as this country uh will be celebrating, always celebrating 250 anniversary of the founding of America.

Rhode Island has played a pivotal role in that fight for independence, and today we see the same revolutionary spirit in the unwavering loyalty and service of our members, whether they're in the front line, whether they're retired, whether they're marching for the rights.

We always say and always say, we'll fight for those rights.

Doesn't mean that we all have to agree, but we will fight for a nation that honors the constitution of these United States.

Tonight we celebrate that that enduring legacy, which stretch was treasures from the battlefield of the revolution right up to our service members today.

So thank you for being here.

And uh I'm truly honored to have in our presence uh the director of veterans affairs for the state of Rhode Island, but he also serves in a commission that I chair, which is the uh special commission on veteran affairs.

Um that the director honorably serves, and he's throughout our state representing veterans and families, and I like to call them to say a few words.

Thank you.

Good evening, City of Providence, good evening, Madam President.

Thank you for allowing me to come and uh as you know, I serve with humility, you know, to uh serve others, and it's truly a blessing.

You know, when we come together, serving others in the people's house, it makes a difference.

And as means who I look at what the city of Providence has accomplished in such a short time span.

You know, I I talked about the mayor, Donald Brent Smiley, when he first took office.

One of his priorities was how can we better serve our veterans?

That's amazing.

And then my dear friend Pro Temp, our Mr.

Fachado here, we fought we has accompanied me this past year.

This man has accompanied me across the entire state to see what can we do, and uh based on what the other municipalities are doing, how can we infuse some of that energy, some of that items here in our fair city?

And we took that charge and we are continuing to advocate on behalf of others.

But it doesn't stop their city of Providence.